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CHICAGO, Aug. 10, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Avril Lavigne Foundation and Easter Seals announced that CAMP S.T.A.R.S., a scholarship program that gives low-income children with disabilities the chance to attend summer camp, will continue for a third consecutive year. Launched in 2012, CAMP S.T.A.R.S. - Summer Time Avril Rock Stars - was inspired by Avril Lavigne's time visiting and supporting Easter Seals Summer Camp programs throughout the U.S. and Canada, as well as her personal experiences growing up.

"Since starting this program, we've helped more than 100 children and young adults to attend summer camp to make lifelong friends, have fun and learn new skills," said Avril Lavigne. "I created the Avril Lavigne Foundation to help people find joy and acceptance no matter what their circumstances, so I'm proud to support this program with Easter Seals again this year."

CAMP S.T.A.R.S. will continue at five Easter Seals camps this summer across the U.S. and Canada, including Easter Seals Southern California, Easter Seals Washington, Easter Seals North Carolina & Virginia, Easter Seals Greater Houston, and Easter Seals Alberta, Canada. The Avril Lavigne Foundation will fund camp scholarships for 50 children during the summer of 2015, most of whom live at or below the poverty level and would otherwise not be able to attend camp.

"I have attended camp 5 years now, and I learn a new activity every year," said Jordan, age 16, who attends Camp Horizon in Alberta, Canada. "I might be smiling in every single picture of me at camp, because that is how I feel!"

"We're thrilled that Avril is continuing her support of our summer camp programs," said Randy Rutta, president and chief executive officer of Easter Seals. "Attending summer camp is a rite of passage for kids. Avril's personal commitment to ensuring that all children have every opportunity to attend and enjoy all the fun and memories that come along with camping is quite admirable. She knows how important inclusion is and Camp S.T.A.R.S allows children with disabilities to do just that!"

About The Avril Lavigne Foundation
Award-winning singer, songwriter and philanthropist Avril Lavigne created The Avril Lavigne Foundation in early 2010. The Avril Lavigne Foundation R.O.C.K.S.: providing Respect, Opportunity, Choices, Knowledge, and Strength in support of children and youth living with serious illnesses or disabilities. The Foundation partners with leading charitable organizations to design and deliver programs, raise awareness and mobilize support for children and youth living with a serious illness or a disability. For information please visit The Avril Lavigne Foundation online at www.theavrillavignefoundation.org,www.facebook.com/theavrillavignefoundationor www.twitter.com/avrilfoundation.

About Easter SealsEaster Seals is the leading non-profit provider of services for individuals with autism, developmental disabilities, physical disabilities and other special needs. For nearly 100 years, we have been offering help and hope to children and adults living with disabilities, and to the families who love them. Through therapy, training, education and support services, Easter Seals creates life-changing solutions so that people with disabilities can live, learn, work and play. Support children and adults with disabilities at www.easterseals.com.

The Avril Lavigne Foundation is excited to share updates about the amazing partnership with Special Olympics. Last year, Avril and the Foundation set a goal of sponsoring 30 athletes at the 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games for Avril’s 30th Birthday. Thank you to everyone who contributed to Avril’s Birthday campaign – we made it happen!

The Opening Ceremony for the 2015 games is July 25th in Los Angeles and Avril will be there to perform her single, Fly, and to cheer on all of the athletes (be sure to tune in!). Special Olympic athletes inspire us all to be courageous, uninhibited and to always putting our best foot forward. The 30 amazing athletes that our team is supporting are shown below. These diverse athletes are from all over the world, representing Canada, USA, Brazil, Mexico, Philippines, Japan, China and South Korea. Competing in Special Olympics lets our athletes “make new friends”, “relieve stress” and “enjoy life”!

International, award-winning musician and philanthropist Avril Lavigne debuted her song “Fly” to benefit Special Olympics today. The song is exclusively available today, April 16, on iTunes (http://smarturl.it/avrilflysingle) 100 days before the start of the 2015 Special Olympics World Games, which will be the world’s largest sporting event in 2015, and will take place July 25-August 2 in Los Angeles. The inspiring music video for “Fly”, debuted today on ABC’s Good Morning America, featuring Avril Lavigne and Special Olympics athletes from around the world.

Avril Lavigne has announced that she has written a song called “Fly” for The Avril Lavigne Foundation to support Special Olympics. The song will be released in advance of the Special Olympics World Summer Games, which will take place July 25-August 2, 2015. More details about the song will be available soon.

In September 2014, as part of the Avril Lavigne Foundation’s support for Special Olympics, Avril launched a campaign for her 30th birthday, which raised funds to support 30 Special Olympics Athletes competing in the 2015 Special Olympics World Games.

The athletes supported by the campaign will come from five different countries and will be announced in February. During her 2014 World Tour, Avril visited a local Special Olympics program in Shanghai to learn more about their programs, and met with and invited more than 200 Special Olympics athletes to her shows in 14 countries.